08.19.08
Angel Kisses
I was blessed with quite an incredible evening tonight! My family and I headed out to catch a local baseball game – the Joliet Jackhammers. I wasn’t sure what to expect because it was the first baseball game our family had ever attended together. And, Samantha (who will be 6 years old this Friday), walked into the ballpark, American Girl doll in tow and representing every sense of the meaning “girlie girl”. She is more interested in improving the guys’ baseball uniforms with some new fashion design than to sit and watch a baseball game. However, we really wanted to attend this special night … it was appreciation night for the volunteers of our church’s Kidz Connection Team.
You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect night! The sky was clear, the temperature perfect without even a slight breeze to give you a chill once the sun ducked down behind the stadium wall. We enjoyed the game, met some great people, had great conversation and enjoyed the time together as a family. About halfway through the game, Samantha was getting a little bored so jumped at the chance when I asked her if she had to use the ladies room. We worked our way down the row to the aisle while carefully trying not to step on toes and repeatedly saying “sorry” as we passed each person who would then have to stand to allow us to pass by – now I remember why I like the seats closer to the aisle! :)
Anyway, as we exit from the ladies room Samantha spots Jammer, the team mascot. She stood, eyes wide open and literally frozen in her tracks (you know the typical deer in the headlights stance). She did not know what to make of this 7 ft. creature named Jammer – who (to her) happens to look like a Sesame Street character on steroids. I personally think he is adorable! I bent down to comfort her and assure her that she does not need to be frightened, but she hid behind me and clung to my leg like a piece of gum on a shoe. She was not going anywhere without a lot of work!
Just at that moment, I look up and there in front of us was wheelchair after wheelchair of special needs adults. My heart immediately swelled. Since the time I was a little girl, I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for special needs children and adults. Actually, this year I have been blessed with teaching the special needs class at church every Sunday and those kids are the highlight of my week!! I have Grant, Ryan, Tim and Kelly in my class, and they are my little angels. No matter what stress I am facing all I have to do is think of their smiling faces, and I am reminded of what is important in this life.
I walked over and spoke to the nurse to find out where they were from. She said they were from United Cerebral Palsy (http://www.ucp.org/ucp_local. cfm/74) right there in Joliet. I then walked over and started talking to each of them asking them how they were enjoying the game. Their faces just lit up! Imagine, a stranger walking over and caring about them! One guy’s grin was so big I swear it reached to his ears! He kept pointing to his bracelet. I told him it was an amazing bracelet, but he was persistent in continuing to point to it. I then noticed it was comprised of six small white blocks on a brown leather band. I slowly turned each block over, one at a time while watching his excitement, and it spelled his name … Norman. I said, “It is great to meet you, Norman!” He then started pointing to me, so I introduced myself and Samantha to him as well as the others. Norman was so happy to be communicating with a perfect stranger. Immediately, to his right was another gentleman who could utter a few muffled words, enough that I could understand he was saying “Hi Sandi and Samantha, how are you?”. And said with a grin just as big as Norman. His right eye wandered to the far right and his left eye wandered down towards the floor, but he ensured we knew that he was doing everything to try and make us feel special by looking at us. Each of them then took my hand and started kissing it as if to say, “Thank you – thank you for noticing us and taking a minute to let us know you care, helping us feel like we DO matter in this world and that someone loves us just as we are.” With each little Angel kiss on my hand, I was humbled even more. Here I was, with a grateful heart and feeling blessed by THEM for their innocence and pure love but yet they were thanking ME! I then felt sad for a moment because how many walk right by and won’t even look at them by reason of their deformities – because they are different, because they are not perfect? I felt blessed for the gift God had given me as a little girl because I had never seen special needs people for any of their physical differences but only for their sweet souls with a love filled heart.
I was struck by quite a realization right at that moment. It hit me with sudden certainty that the same feeling and perspective I have always had towards these sweet souls is EXACTLY how God must feel towards each of us. He looks past all of our imperfections and sees us for our sweet souls with a heart full of love. It was yet another reminder of how imperfect each of us is, in our own way, but yet God loves us anyway. He does not walk by us unnoticed. Instead He embraces us, He looks right past every flaw and He loves us unconditionally. He is patiently waiting for US to notice HIM with a love filled heart hoping this time will be the time we do not just walk on by.
Maybe something in your life is making you feel less than perfect today or not worthy of anyone’s love especially God’s, whether that feeling is caused from others treating you poorly, difficult challenges you are facing or mistakes you have made – please know that God’s love for you is unfailing. He is there and will help you through anything you are facing no matter how imperfect you may be feeling or how lost you may have been … all you need to do is “notice” Him.
May God bless you and bring you your own Angel kisses this week!
Sandi :)
